You checked the test once, then probably checked it again. It says positive. Maybe that’s what you expected, or perhaps you were hoping for a very different result.
Either way, there are a few steps to take before making any decisions. Birthright of Greater Hartford offers free, medical-grade pregnancy test appointments if you want to verify your home result. Contact us to schedule your appointment and get started.
Make Sure the Result Is Accurate
Home pregnancy tests detect human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone produced during pregnancy. According to Mayo Clinic, positive home results are generally accurate, although false-positive results can occur in certain circumstances, including right after an early pregnancy loss.
Birthright provides pregnancy testing at no cost. Confirming your result is especially useful if the line on your home test was difficult to read, you received different results from multiple tests, or you simply want another test before deciding what to do.
If you continue to have questions about your result or have medical concerns, you should also contact your healthcare provider.
Confirm Your Pregnancy
An ultrasound provides information about the pregnancy’s location and development. Birthright does not perform ultrasounds on-site but can help you find a provider in your area.
Confirming the location is particularly important because an ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, most often in a fallopian tube. It cannot progress normally and may cause life-threatening bleeding if left untreated.
Seek emergency medical attention for symptoms such as severe abdominal or pelvic pain with vaginal bleeding, extreme lightheadedness or fainting, or shoulder pain. Since ectopic pregnancies can present with typical early symptoms like nausea and a missed period, you won’t want to rely on a positive test to tell you you’re ready to make a decision.
Think About the Questions Behind Your Decision
Once you know you’re pregnant, you may immediately start thinking about parenting, adoption, or abortion. Instead of trying to settle everything at once, identify the questions that are making the decision difficult.
If you’re worried about parenting, for example, is the biggest concern relational, financial, or related to the timing of the pregnancy? If you’re thinking about adoption, what would you want to know about choosing a family or having contact after placement? If you’re considering abortion, you will want to learn about the different procedures, their risks and side effects, and how gestational age affects which procedures are used.
Getting specific about your concerns can make it easier to determine what information or assistance would actually be useful.
Start With What You Know
A positive home test may have caught you off guard, but you can deal with one piece of information at a time.
Contact Birthright of Greater Hartford for free, medical-grade pregnancy testing. We can also help you find an ultrasound and provide information as you consider your next steps.
Birthright of Greater Hartford does not provide or refer for abortions.
All abortion information in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.